Toy



April 15, 1930.

W. M. LISTER TOY Filed Janf 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l PW/ham Ml l sf'el Aft F By

April 15, 1930. w. M. LiSTER 7 1,754,564

TOY

Filed Jan. 29, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C I E VI Q Q 0O o N 9% g \i o Q: Q

Atorney Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE 'roY Application filed Jan-nary 29, 1929. Serial No. 335,837.

mess of manufacture, the same comprising but relatively few parts,and these so correlated as to reduce the possibility of disarrangement to a minimum; Furthermore, the top when used will impart to the figure a somersaulting motion simulating such an ac tion on the part of a human being or animal, which will prove highly amusing to children. WVith the foregoing and other objects in view as the natureof the invention will be better understood from the following specification and accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a perspectiveof the toy, showing the figure at the start ofthe somersaulting motion.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the figure at an intermediate position, and

Figure 3 is also a similar View showing the figure as half-waythrough the somersaulting action.

Figure l is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanical features of the figure, the

dotted lines illustrating these mechanical features at the position they will assume when the hands and feet of the figure are upon the surface of the table or support, while undergoing the somersaulting motion.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the mechanical details of the figure.

Figure 6 is a perspective of certain features of the figure unit.

Now, having particular reference to the drawings, 5 designates a pusher board or blockequipped if desired, with a suitable handle 6. Secured tothis pusher board or block 5 preferably adjacent the forward end and at one side thereof, is a figure supporting rigid bar 7, this bar being inclined as illus trated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and being bent 59 inwardly at right angles at its forward end to provide a horizontal attaching pinS fer the figure unit. This unit consists of a pair of general C-shaped cam plates 9+9, each of which is formed with a central opening 10 to permit them to be'dis'posed upon saidpin 8. These cams are freely rotatable upon the pin, and are prevented from side movement by suitable collars 11 41. These camplates 9 9 are arranged in side by side relation and extend in opposed directions Each cam 0 plate is formed or equipped with,interinediate its ends, a stem 12,the stems of the earns being parallel and extending in Oppo'sed'tlirections. Slidably associated with each stem 12 is a stem 13, the ends of these stems 12 and 13 being constructedto provide guide collars 14 for partially or totally surrounding the adjacent'stems, as clearly illustrated in Figures at and 5. 1 Furthermore, said collars'lt of adjacent stems are interconnected in each instance, through the medium of a light retractile coil spring 15 for the'purpose of normally maintaining the outermost stem in its outward limit of movement. The inner end of each outermost stem 13 normallyengages the surface of the cam 9 opposite to the of the stem, with which said outer stem is slidably associated, as clearly disclosed in Figurese and 5. The outer end of one sliding stem 13 is equipped with a plate 16,-the ends of which are formed with figure arm simulating elements 17'17, provided at their ends with curved portions, over which are hand simulating elements 18-18 of antifriction material. 1

The outer end of the opposite sliding stem 13 is provided with a pair of spaced figure leg simulating members 19-19, the ends of which are provided withcurved sheet mambers covered with shoe simulating elements 20-420, while arranged over the'mechanic'al elements of the figure unit is a clown or animal simulating covering 21. The inclination and length of the bar 7 is such that when the board or block 5 is arranged in flat engagement with a table orother supporting surface any point of the hands or feet of the figure will contact the surface. Assuming that the position of the figureis as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 4, that is, the hands and feet being upon the supporting surface, a forward pushing of the board or bloc: 5, while exerting pressure at the forward end thereof, will cause the hand members of the respective sliding stem 13 to pivot upon the supporting surface. The distance between the ends of the hands and the pin 8 being reater than the vertical distance between the ower surface of the block and pin, a further push of the block will cause the hand stem 13 to slide upwardly upon its stationary stem 12. Bearing in mind that the upper end of this stem is in contact with the opposite cam, said opposite cam will necessarily rotate and carry upwardly its associated stem 12, together with the sliding stem 13 associated therewith, which carries the feet units of the figure. As soon as the figure passes beyond a vertical position by the continued movement of the block, the feet unit will fall down into engagement with the surface and the operation repeated, thus simulating the somersaulting action of the figure.

The purpose of the retractile springs 15 is to normally force the feet and leg unit stems in an outward direction, and to prevent these stems from sliding inwardly when they are in vertical position, as disclosed in Figures l and 5.

The center of each cam 9 is preferably formed with a depression 9, so that when the feet or hand units are in an upward position, they will be prevented from falling forwardly or rearwardly until they have passed beyond a vertical axis.

In view of the foregoing description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that I have provided a novel, simple and amusing toy that is well adapted for all of the purposes heretofore designated, and even though I have herein shown and described the invention as consisting of certain detailed structural elements, it is nevertheless to be understood that some changes may be made therein, without affecting the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a toy of the character described, a flat surface engaging member, a figure supporting element associated with the member above the surface engaging face of the member and forwardly thereof, and a figure unit rotatably mounted upon the member and including automatic means to cause its own rotation during movement of said motive mem- 2. In a toy of the character described, a surface engaging member, a figure supporting element associated with the member above the surface engaging face of the member and forwardly thereof, a figure unit rotatably mounted upon the member and including antomatic means to cause its own rotation during movement of said motive member, said means comprising a pair of units composing the figure, each unit consisting of an inner member rotatable upon the supporting element, and an outer member slidably associated with the inner member, one of said outer members simulating the upper portion of the figure body and the other the lower portion of the figure body, means normally urging these members in an outward direction so that the ends thereof will be normally below the surface of the motive member when in a downturned position, and means between the inner end of each slidable member and the pivoted end of the opposite unit inner member to cause the upward swinging of that unit when the sliding member of the opposite unit is forced upwardly by pressure against the supporting surface.

3. In a toy of the character described, a

surface engaging member, a figure supporting element associated with the member above the surface engaging face of the member and forwardly thereof, a figure unit rotatably mounted upon the member and including automatic means to cause its own rotation during movement of said motive member, said means comprising a pair of units composing the figure, each unit consisting of an inner member rotatable upon the supporting element, and an outer member slidably associated with the inner member, one of said outer members simulating the upper portion of the figure body and the other the lower portion of the figure body, means normally urging these members in an outward direc tion so that the ends thereof will be normally below the surface of the motive member when in a downturned position, means between the inner end of each slidable member and the pivoted end of the opposite unit inner member to cause the upward swinging of that unit when the sliding member of the opposite unit is forced upwardly by pressure against the supporting surface, said means including further means for maintaining the raised unit from swinging forwardly or rearwardly after it reaches asubstantially vertical position and until it has passed considerably beyond a vertical position.

l. In a toy of the character described, a surface engaging member, a figure supporting element associated with the member above the surface engaging face of the member and forwardly thereof, a figure unit rotatably mounted upon the member and including automatic means to cause its own rotation during movement of said motive member, said means comprising a pair of units composing the figure, each unit consisting of an inner member rotatable upon the supporting element, an outer member slidably associated with the inner member, one of said outer members simulating the upper portion of the figure body and the other the lower portion of the figure body, means normally urging these members in an outward direction so that the ends thereof will be normally below the surface of the motive member when in a downturned position, and means between the inner end of each slidable member and the pivoted end of the opposite unit inner member to cause the upward swinging of that unit when the sliding member of the opposite unit is forced upwardly by pressure against the supporting surface, said means consisting of a segmental cam at the inner end of each pivoted member and normally engaged by the inner end of the sliding member of the opposite unit.

5. In a toy of the character described, a surface engaging member, a figure supporting element associated with the member above the surface engaging face of the member and forwardly thereof, and a figure unit rotatably mountedupon the member and including automatic means to cause its own rotation during movement of said motive member,

said figure unit comprisin a pair of body sections pivoted at their inner ends to the supporting element and adapted to normally swing downwardly under their own weight, said automtaic means including means for swinging each section to a vertical position after the surface engaging end thereof moves from the surf cc and during the time that the surface engaging end of the opposite section is in engagement with said surface.

6. In a toy of the character described, a surface engaging motive member, a figure supporting element associated with the member above the surface engaging face of the member and forwardly thereof, and a figure 9 unit rotatably mounted upon the supporting element, the length of the unit being normally a such as to cause the engagement of the ends of the figure with the supporting surface during the rotation of the figure, said figure co1nprising a pair of body sections pivoted at their inner ends to the figure supporting element, and means between the inner ends of the sections to cause the upward swinging of one section when the outer end of the other section is pressed upon the supporting surface.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

WILLIAM M. LISTER. 

